In chapters 7 and 8, of The House of Mirth, Lily's initial plans of marrying Mr. Gryce are seemingly lost. After she decides to go off with Lawrence instead of Percy, one of the women tells Percy Gryce that Lily isn't exactly the angel that she's said she is. This makes him head out on the first train out of there the next day. Lawrence goes on this train as well. I found it funny that both the man that she wanted to marry his money, and the man who company she actually enjoyed both leave her the same day. She is left with neither, after not choosing one of the other. It seems to me that she would be much happier with Lawrence, than with Percy, if she would only be willing to let go of her need for money. She needs to move on with her life, and reach for happiness wherever she can find it, rather than looking for it only in wealth.
Even at the Van Osburgh wedding, Lily is trying to get Percy to mary her, even after she is told that he is dating Evie Van Osburgh. When the wedding starts however, Wharton writes "She did not wish to see him again [Selden]... because his prescence always had the affect of... throwing her whole world out of focus" (Wharton 71). This shows that she still doesn't know what she wants. I hope this leads to a shift in her priorities, so that she can be truly happy.
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